Annunciator and signaling apparatus



(No Model.)

M. MARTIN.

ANNUNGIATOR AND SIGNALING APPARATUS.

No. 381,709. Patented Apr. 24, 1888.

Invent 07",

YVitn a 55 as Z 2 WM wh/ awr iJNiTED Srn'rns PATENT @rrrcn MORRIS lllARTlN, OF MALDEN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-IiALF TO CHAS. FOLLEN ADAMS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ANNUNCIATCR AND SIGNALING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 381,709, dated April 24, 1888.

Application filed June 14, 1886. Serial No. 205,114. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern: if the wrong person should respond to such Be it known that l, MORRIS MARTIN, residsignal the fact would be discovered that the ing in Malden, Middlescx County, State of switch had been improperly operated. Massachusetts, haveinvented an Improvement- The drawing shows in diagram an annnn- 5 in Annunciator and Signaling Apparatus, of ciator and signaling apparatus embodying this which the following description, in connection invention.

with the accompanying drawing, is a spceiti- The apparatus comprises a series of keys or cation, like letters on the drawing rcpresentswitches, a a, one assigned to each person ing like parts. whose presence is to be made known,two only 6o :3 My invention relates to an annunciator es of which keys are shown in this instance, bepecially intended for usein manufactories and ing located at a convenient point to be operlarge warehouses for indicating whether or not ated by the persons entering and leaving the the different employee are in the building. premises. The keys or switches are shown in The apparatus comprises a series of keys or this instance as consisting of arms pivoted at 6 1 switchesintendcd to belocated at the entrance 2 and acted upon by springs I), having V- to the building and being assigned one to each shaped projections engaging corresponding employ or person whose presence or absence V-shaped projections on the switch-levers, and is to he made known, and the apparatus furthus causing the latter to make the complete ther comprises a corresponding series of indimovement in either direction when moved by 70 2c cators, which may be located at the office or the operator beyond the middle point. The point where the information as to the emswitches are to be moved in one direction-for ploys is desired. Each person on entering instance, to the left-whcn the person enters or leaving the premises will be required to the premises, and they then indicate that the move the key or switch assigned to him, and person is in, and they are to be moved in the will thus produce a corresponding movement other direction when the person leaves the of the indicator at the oliice, which will thus building, then indicating that he is out.

show at anytime whether or not the said per- Each of the switches a a controls the circuit son is about the premises. The indicatingof an indicating-instrument, b or 1), shown as instrument employed will preferably be a poconsisting of a well-known form of annuncia- 8c larized annnnoiatorinstrument,and the switch toninstrument comprising an electro-magnet, will operate to cause a current of one or the c, and polarized armature c therefor, pivoted other polarity to pass through the magnet of and caused to oscillate between the poles of the said indicating-instrument, according as said magnet 0 when the polarity of the latter the said switch is moved in one or the other is reversed, and remaining in either position 85 direction. There will preferably be, in conuntil the said magnet c is affected by another nection with the indicators, an audible signal change of polarity.

to attract attention when any one of the indi- The switches a a are provided with contactcators is operated. Means are also provided pieces (Z d, which in the movement of the by which the attendants at the otlice may switches from one to the other position make 90 cause a signal to be operated at the switchcontact with contact pieces cc at one side of the board or entrance whenever any desired one switch, one ofsaid contact-pieces, as e, ofall the of the keys or switches is operated, and the switches being connected with a main wire, 4,

person on perceiving such signal when he leading to the indicators, where it is provided moves his key will understand that he is to withreturn hranchesi'i,onepassing throughthe g 45 proceed to the cities. The apparatus thus afmagneto of each indicatingdnstrument and bei'ords means for summoning any desired person ing connected with the contact 4 piece 6 of the to the office the next time that he enters or switch corresponding to said indicating-inleaves the premises, and also serves as a check strument. The contact-pieces d d in the move to prevent one person from operating the ment of the switches also become electrically I60 50 switch of another, as he is likely at any time connected with contact-pieces f g f g, the to receive a signal calling him to the ottice,and pieces f 9, that are connected with the parts (Z cl in one half of the movement ofthe switches, being connected with the poles of the battery B,and the piecesf connected with the pieces d d in the other half of the movement of the switeh,being connected with the opposite poles of said battery, so that in the movement of the switch the pieces d d connect the pieces 6 e first with the battery in one position and then in the opposite position, thus causing the current to traverse the circuit 4 5 first with one and then with the opposite polarity, the latter impulse reversing the polarity of magnet c and causing the armature 0 thereof to move to its other position, where it will remain until the switch a is moved in the other direction. The contact or connecting pieces (I d are moved wholly beyond the contact-pieces e e and ffgg, as shown, so that when the switches come to rest they leave the circuit open. There will preferably be either in the main line 4 or in each of the branches 5 thereof at the indicator-station an audible signalinstrumcnt, S, which will be operated whenever the indicator is changed, thus calling at-' tention to the indicator. There is also provided at the switch-board or station a signaling-instrument, S, either in the main line4 or one in each of the branches 5, and there is included in each of the branches 5 at the indicator-station resistance R of sufficient amount to prevent thesignal S from operating, although it will permit the signals S and b to operate.

Shunts 7 for the resistance It, containing switches h It, are provided, one corresponding to each indicator, and when it is desired to direct a person to proceed to the oftice or indicator-station the switch it or it corresponding to said persons indicator is moved to the position to close the shunt 7, as shown at It, and then when the corresponding switch, as a, is moved the current passing through the circuit 4 7 5 will-be of sutficient strength to operate the signal S, on hearing which the person will understand that he is to proceed to the office. If any switch, as a, is operated when the corresponding switch, as h, is open, the current will pass through the resistance R and will be so weakened thereby as not to operate the signal S.

It is not essential that the keys should all be located at one place, as they may be distributed singly or in groups at any convenient point. r I

The invention is not limited to the particular use for the apparatus herein described, as

it is obvious that the apparatus may be applicable for other purposes, and it may in some cases be desirable to have more than one indicating-instru ment in circuit-as, for instance, if the same indication has to be given at two or more points.

I clairn 1. A series of keys or switches and corresponding series of indicating-instruments connected in circuit therewith, combined with a signaling-instrument located near the keys and resistance in circuit with each key and indicating-instrument, by which the said signaling-instrument near the keys may be rendered inoperative, and means for removing the resistance from each circuit independently of the others, whereby the said signaling-instrument is operated when the key is operated in the circuit from which the resistance is re moved, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a polarized indicating-instrument, of a key or switch movable to and fro between two different positions, and contact-pieces fastened to and movable with said switches, and co-operating stationary contact-pieces connected in circuit with a battery and with the said indicatirig-instrument and located with relation to the contact-pieces on the switch as set forth, the said contact-pieces on the switch touching the stationary contactpieces in its movement from one to the other position, but passing beyond and being out of contact with the said stationary contact-pieces when the switch is in either extreme position, whereby the polarity of the current is reversed during the movement of the switch from one to the other position, substantially as described.

3. An annunciator and signaling apparatus comprising a series of keys or switches and a signaling-instrument adjacent thereto, and a series of indicatinginstruments connected in circuit one with each of the said keys,and means connected with each circuit controlling the signalingnstrument near the keys, by which the said signaling-instrument may be made to operate or not, as desired, when the key in any desired circuitis moved, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed myname to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MORRIS MARTIN.

VVitne'sses:

Jos. P. LIVERMORE, J AS. J. MALONEY. 

